Italian Grammar Bank
PAST ANTERIOR IN ITALIAN
In the Italian language, the trapassato remoto is a past anterior tense that is often used to describe an action that happened before another action in the past, typically in written or literary contexts.
Though its use is quite rare in modern spoken language, it remains essential in understanding historical texts, classical literature, and formal storytelling.
WHEN TO USE TRAPASSATO REMOTO?
The trapassato remoto is used when narrating an event that took place before another action in the past.
This action is typically something that has no direct connection to the present.
The trapassato remoto is most commonly used in:
➡️ Historical Narratives: When recounting events from history, such as battles, discoveries, or revolutions, the trapassato remoto is often employed.
➡️ Literature: Classical and historical novels, poems, and stories frequently use this tense.
➡️ Formal and Written Contexts: It is often found in formal writing or storytelling, especially in the past tense narrations that require actions to be placed within specific time frames.
➡️ Less Common in Modern Spoken Italian: In everyday spoken language, the trapassato remoto is generally replaced by the trapassato prossimo or other tenses.
BASIC STRUCTURE
To form the trapassato remoto, you need two elements:
- The passato remoto of the auxiliary verb (either avere or essere).
- The past participle of the main verb.
Step-by-Step Breakdown
For Transitive Verbs (verbs that take a direct object, like mangiare, leggere, etc.)
- Use the passato remoto of the auxiliary verb avere.
- Combine it with the past participle of the main verb.
PATTERN
Avere (in passato remoto) + past participle of the main verb
- Mangiare (to eat) → Io mangiai (I ate)
- Combine with avere in the passato remoto: Io ebbi mangiato (I had eaten).
For Intransitive Verbs (verbs that do not take a direct object, like andare, arrivare, etc.)
- Use the passato remoto of the auxiliary verb essere.
- Combine it with the past participle of the main verb.
PATTERN
Essere (in passato remoto) + past participle of the main verb
- Andare (to go) → Io andai (I went)
- Combine with essere in the passato remoto: Io fui andato (I had gone).
WITH AUXILIARY VERBS
Here is how to conjugate the auxiliary verbs avere and essere in the passato remoto, as they are crucial to forming the trapassato remoto.
Avere (to have)
| Io | ebbi |
| Tu | avesti |
| Lui/Lei | ebbe |
| Noi | avemmo |
| Voi | aveste |
| Loro | ebbero |
Essere (to be)
| Io | fui |
| Tu | fosti |
| Lui/Lei | fu |
| Noi | fummo |
| Voi | foste |
| Loro | furono |
EXAMPLES WITH REGULAR VERBS
Mangiare (to eat)
| Io | ebbi mangiato | I had eaten |
| Tu | avesti mangiato | You had eaten |
| Lui/Lei | ebbe mangiato | He/She had eaten |
| Noi | avemmo mangiato | We had eaten |
| Voi | aveste mangiato | You had eaten |
| Loro | ebbero mangiato | They had eaten |
Parlare (to speak)
| Io | ebbi parlato | I had spoken |
| Tu | avesti parlato | You had spoken |
| Lui/Lei | ebbe parlato | He/She had spoken |
| Noi | avemmo parlato | We had spoken |
| Voi | aveste parlato | You had spoken |
| Loro | ebbero parlato | They had spoken |
EXAMPLES WITH IRREGULAR VERBS
Essere (to be)
| Io | fui stato |
| Tu | fosti stato |
| Lui/Lei | fu stato |
| Noi | fummo stati |
| Voi | foste stati |
| Loro | furono stati |
Avere (to have)
| Io | ebbi avuto |
| Tu | avesti avuto |
| Lui/Lei | ebbe avuto |
| Noi | avemmo avuto |
| Voi | aveste avuto |
| Loro | ebbero avuto |
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FAQs
When to use trapassato remoto?
The Trapassato Remoto is primarily used in literature, historical writing, and very formal contexts.
It describes an action that was completed immediately before another past action expressed in the passato remoto.
How to form trapassato remoto?
It’s formed with the passato remoto of the auxiliary verb (essere or avere) + the past participle of the main verb. Example: ebbi parlato (I had spoken).
How to recognise verbs that require essere vs. avere in this tense?
The same rules apply as in other compound tenses: generally, intransitive verbs that indicate movement or change of state use essere, while most transitive verbs use avere.
Trapassato remoto or prossimo?
Both tenses describe a past action that occurred before another, but the trapassato remoto is used with passato remoto in literary contexts.
Trapassato prossimo is used with passato prossimo in spoken or everyday written Italian.
Is this tense still used in modern Italian?
No, it is rarely used in conversation.
It is considered archaic or literary and is mostly found in novels, formal essays, and historical narratives.
Can I learn Italian with LTL?
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